The planning of and emergency response to a terror attack has always been a great concern. The main focus has always been on those of overt attack. These attacks are those by chemical, biological, or radiological/nuclear weapons. These type of attacks cause an immediate response from police, fire, and Emergency Medical Services personnel CDC Strategic Planning Workgroup, 2000; Forest& Howard, 2013). In any attack it is the state and the local government that will have the responsibility for the management and planning of responses to these attacks. They will need to use all available resources during the first critical hours before assistance from the federal level arrives (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], 2002). The attack
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A chemical attack will cause an immediate response from police, fire, and Emergency Medical Services personnel. Due to chemical agents inducing incapacitating and even lethal symptoms within minutes of exposure, it is necessary for any response to these types of attacks to have some sort of planned response (FEMA, 2002). First responders that are not protected by protective gear are susceptible to the chemical agents and have a high risk of becoming victims themselves (Forest& Howard, 2013). With biological and some radiological attacks the threat is not always presented. Biological agents may take time to present themselves. The use of biologicals can also be used to attack large areas, especially in term of food production, allowing for a greater dispersal. Recognizing these hazards is critical in the response (FEMA, 2002). In an event of a radiological attack, there will be a multitude of problems that will be face. This would include the normal disruption that occurs during a terrorist attack cut also the complications that are added by patients of the radiological attack. Though a radiological attack would most unlikely to have mass casualties, radiation safety efforts and regulations are likely to complicate efforts (Karam,
A chemical attack will cause an immediate response from police, fire, and Emergency Medical Services personnel. Due to chemical agents inducing incapacitating and even lethal symptoms within minutes of exposure, it is necessary for any response to these types of attacks to have some sort of planned response (FEMA, 2002). First responders that are not protected by protective gear are susceptible to the chemical agents and have a high risk of becoming victims themselves (Forest& Howard, 2013). With biological and some radiological attacks the threat is not always presented. Biological agents may take time to present themselves. The use of biologicals can also be used to attack large areas, especially in term of food production, allowing for a greater dispersal. Recognizing these hazards is critical in the response (FEMA, 2002). In an event of a radiological attack, there will be a multitude of problems that will be face. This would include the normal disruption that occurs during a terrorist attack cut also the complications that are added by patients of the radiological attack. Though a radiological attack would most unlikely to have mass casualties, radiation safety efforts and regulations are likely to complicate efforts (Karam,